Embrace History & Luxury at Knysna’s Unique Turbine Hotel

It’s the start of a new year, and what better way to get inspired and excited than to plan a getaway?

I’m all about local travel and discovering the beauty that our country has to offer.

The Garden Route – Knysna specifically, has so much to offer from spectacular forest walks, a really great range of accommodation to suit all budgets, brilliant shopping and awesome water activities.

Towards the end of last year, I was invited to experience the hospitality at Turbine Hotel and Spa on Theysen Islands in Knysna.

The 5-star Turbine Boutique Hotel and Spa is one of South Africa’s most unusual hotels. With its distinctive architecture paying homage to the old power station it once was, it offers guests luxurious accommodation options, exceptional cuisine and stunning views.

Accommodation comprises 26 rooms – luxury and standard, a honeymoon suite and two expansive self-contained suites adjacent to the hotel; all with luxurious amenities such as a flat-screen TV, Wi-Fi, a fully stocked mini-bar, a tea and coffee station and original artworks by local South African artists on the walls, which are for sale.

The Turbine’s 90-seater Island Café Restaurant, with inside tables nestled between the original turbines and outside tables on the spacious terrace overlooking the canal is open daily and offers breakfast, lunch and dinner and also monthly food and wine pairings.

The Island Cafe’s delish chicken salad served with couscous & roast vegetables – highly recommended

The vibey Gastro Pub offers classic pub meals with a delicious turbine twist on-tap draught beer, a comprehensively stocked cellar and glorious lagoon sunset views. Do try the deep-fried fish & chips – it’s among the best I’ve ever eaten!

The oysters – a Knysna specialty – were outstanding!

The Turbine Spa, one of the finest on the Garden Route, has a wide range of treatments for hotel guests & day visitors. On the day we arrived, I had a superb back neck and shoulder massage – highly recommended.

A visit to Knysna is incomplete without a boat trip through the Knysna Heads.

We had a wonderful sailing experience with Ocean Sailing Charters on one of their luxury catamarans.

We sipped bubbles, took in the beauty & feasted on a delicious meal. A soul reviving experience indeed.

Learn more about Ocean Sailing Charters offering HERE

We also enjoyed a 10Km walk through the majestic Knysna Forest.

I was amazed to learn that the Knysna forests are the largest complex of closed-canopy forests in Southern Africa.

The forest is also home to the only remaining African elephant – a single female aged approximately 45 years old.

There are around fifty different species of indigenous tress to be found in this forest from giant Yellowwoods, to the iconic Stinkwood, Wild Gig, Cape Chestnut, cape Ash and White Milkwood.

We travelled to Knysna from Cape Town in a Ford Everest XLT. Now, while I wouldn’t call myself a car person as such – I’ve always viewed them as a way to get from A to B – I’ll admit I’m quite blown away by this SUV’s performance.

The Ford Everest XLT is big on space & comfort & has features that include: Pre-Collision Assist, Lane Assist, Blind Spot Information System, Electric Stability, Mud setting for Off-Roading, Colour Touchscreen Infotainment System and Wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto.

There’s also a wireless charging pad and numerous USB-A/C ports

And don’t you just love the colour? It’s called Sedona Orange.

Good to Know

The Turbine Hotel and Spa is a disabled-friendly hotel. There’s a disabled toilet downstairs for use by restaurant & bar guests, and a bedroom designed to accommodate any disabled guest.

The recent installation of a solar system & backup generator ensures load shedding outages don’t affect guests.

for more information, visit the Turbine Hotel & Spa website HERE